1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a developer material holding apparatus that holds a developer material therein, a supporting apparatus that receives the developer material holding apparatus therein, and an image forming apparatus that incorporates the supporting apparatus that holds the developer material holding apparatus. The developer material holding apparatus and the supporting apparatus are used in electrophotographic apparatus such as printers, facsimile machines, and copying machines.
2. Description of the Related Art
Some image forming apparatus such as an electrophotographic color recording apparatus incorporate image forming sections aligned in order, each image forming section forming images of a corresponding color. Each image forming section incorporates, for example, a photoconductor on which an electrostatic latent image is formed in accordance with image information and is then developed into a visible image. Each of the image forming sections includes a developing unit and a developer material holding apparatus detachably attached into the image forming apparatus. The image forming section has a toner supplying path located between the developer material holding apparatus and the developing unit. The developing unit includes a supply roller disposed to face a developer roller which is in pressure contact with the photoconductor. The developing unit receives the developer material from the developer material holding apparatus through an opening formed in the developer holding material apparatus.
Japanese Patent Publication No. 2007-93697 discloses one such image recording apparatus. When the developer material holding apparatus is attached to the developing unit, the developer material holding apparatus is first inserted into the developing unit for a locking engagement with the developing unit, and then the lever of the developer material holding apparatus is operated to open the opening formed in the developer material holding apparatus, thereby supplying the developer material into the developing unit. When the developer material holding apparatus is detached from the developing unit, the lever is operated so that the developer material holding apparatus moves out of the locking engagement with the developing unit and then the developing material holding apparatus can be taken out of the developing unit.
The conventional apparatus is configured such that when the developer material holding apparatus is attached to the image recording apparatus, a two-step mounting process is involved: inserting the developer material holding apparatus into the developing unit and then opening the developer material discharging opening of the developer material holding apparatus, and such that when the developer material holding apparatus is detached from the developing unit, another two-step demounting process is involved: closing the developer material discharging opening to unlock the developer material holding apparatus from the developing unit and taking out the developer material holding apparatus from the developing unit. These cumbersome processes may cause the operator to forget to complete the processes.